Changeable wig and method for transforming wig

ABSTRACT

Provided are a changeable wig in which textures thereof are transformed by performing a heat treatment of a using wig and a method for transforming a wig.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2016-0074564 filed on Jun. 15, 2016 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a changeable wig and a method for transforming a wig, and more particularly, to a changeable wig which can transform a shape or a form of a using wig to be a new shaped or new formed wig and a method for transforming the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

A wig is a generic term to refer to hair other than one's own hair to create a favorite hair style to cover up hair loss or to seek for fashion.

Wide variety of wig products have been proposed based upon the race, age, and gender. Generally people select and use a specific form or shape depending on their purpose of use. The wig products may be washed in use according to the purpose.

That is, existing wigs are just pre-manufactured with a specific form or shape or customized products are used by users, but it is not proposed that the wigs are used by newly transforming the form or shape thereof in use.

Techniques which are exemplified, and in International Patent Publication No. 2008/020552, provided is an artificial hair having heat deformability when heated and expanded with a hair dryer or the like to be used in hair styling and a wig using the artificial hair, and the artificial hair is produced by spinning a semi-aromatic polyamide resin having a glass transition temperature of 60° C. to 120° C. together with a resin being non-expandable within the temperature range at a predetermined ratio. The artificial hair may have a sheath/core structure consisting of a core part and a sheath part covering the core part. As the resin being non-expandable within the temperature range as defined above, it is possible to use polyethylene terephthalate or the like. As the sheath, it is possible to use nylon 6 or nylon 66. As a result, the artificial hair is heat-deformed by being heated in a steam atmosphere at a glass transition temperature or more or approximately 80 to 100° C. and the shape can be retained even at room temperature or after washing with a shampoo. Accordingly, like the natural air, the hair style can fit his taste by using the hair dryer, and further, the hair style can be retained.

Meanwhile, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1998-127950, disclosed is a hair setting doll set which is constituted by a doll that is transplanted with a hair for a doll formed by melting and integrating a thermoplastic resin A and a thermoplastic polymer B having a specific glass transition temperature and a hair setting tool for the doll for deforming the hair held between rollers to a wavy shape for which the rollers provided with recessed and projecting parts are disposed at the inner surface opposing positions of holding pieces for holding the hair for the doll. A technique capable of easily deforming a hair style of the doll or restoring the deformed hair style to the original state is disclosed.

The proposed techniques basically have a feature in that a pre-formed product is partially deformed by using a deformation characteristic due to a polymer property of the fiber or the shape is partially deformed by applying mechanical molding, but deformation into completely different products is not proposed.

As a result, development of wig products which are changeable to wigs having different forms or shapes after using a wig having a specific form or shape is sincerely required.

RELATED ART DOCUMENT Patent Document

-   International Patent Application Publication No. 2008/020552 -   Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1998-127950

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a changeable wig to a wig with a new form or shape after using a wig product with a specific form or shape.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for transforming a wig simply and easily for implementing the changeable wig.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a changeable wig in which textures can be transformed by heating a using wig.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat treatment is any one or more treatment of heat treatments by hot water, hot wind, and electromagnetic wave.

In an embodiment of the present invention, in the texture transformation, a bulky or kinky property is improved.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the using wig is a twisted wig or a wig with the improved bulky or kinky property is a kinky wig.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the heat treatment is performed by the hot water, a hot water temperature is 70 to 97° C. or when a hair chemical is added together with the hot water, the hot water temperature is 70 to 120° C.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the fiber included in the wig is a fiber having shrinkage of 15 to 75% (under a condition of 70 to 97° C.) in a fiber length direction under tensionless.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the changeable wig contains 10 to 100 wt % of the fiber.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the curve generated while the wig thread is shrunk satisfies the following Equations when a curved area is defined by SIB in region A and region B when both ends of the wig thread are aligned on a reference line without tension based on the reference line.

128≦ΣSIB≦530  (1)

−350≦SIB(A−B)≦350  (2)

According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for transforming a wig in which textures are transformed by heating the using wig.

In an embodiment of the present invention, in the texture transformation, a bulky or kinky property is improved.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes a loosing step of opening the heated wig in a vertical direction of the fiber.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the curve generated while the wig thread is shrunk satisfies the following Equations when a curved area is defined by SIB in region A and region B when both ends of the wig thread are aligned on a reference line without tension based on the reference line.

128≦ΣSIB≦530  (1)

−350≦SIB(A−B)≦350  (2)

According to the present invention, the changeable wig can be transformed to a wig with a new form or shape in use.

Further, according to the present invention, in the changeable wig, users can transform the wig by a very simple means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are photographs illustrating examples of twist and Kinki wigs, respectively.

FIGS. 3 to 9 are examples of wig transformation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an example of SIB.

FIG. 11 is an example of a wig of Comparative Example 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, it should be noted that the same elements or components in the drawings will be designated by the same reference numerals. In describing the present invention, a detailed description of publicly known functions or configurations incorporated herein will be omitted so as not to make the subject matter of the present invention unclear.

The terms representing the degree used in this specification of approximately, substantially, and the like are used as the value or a meaning close to the value when unique manufacturing and material tolerances are proposed in the aforementioned meaning, and used for preventing the disclosed content in which accurate or absolute figures are mentioned in order to help the understanding of the present invention from being wrongly used by unscrupulous infringers.

In a method described in this specification, basically, a possibility to be applied to all wigs is not excluded, but for clarifying the description, a braid type wig will be described as an example.

In a wig market, about 90% of users are black people. The reason may be inferred to be caused by a hair characteristic of the black people, and most of hair characteristics of the black people have a curly form and the curly form is very small curled hair and the cause thereof is not accurately known, but estimated to be caused by a congenital cause. In the curly hair, a hair shaft is transformed and a hair root in a generation region is pre-transformed. Accordingly, even though the hair shaft is corrected, the hair temporarily becomes the curly hair again according to the growth of hair textures. The curly hair is externally transformed and a composition of the inner cortex thereof is different from that of straight hair. When observing a cross section of the hair by a microscope, the straight hair is closest to a round piece, and the wavy hair has a weak oval shape, and as the curled degree is increased, flatness becomes stronger. Further, a growing direction of the hair is approximately perpendicular to the skull in the straight hair, but as the hair is curled, the hair grows in an oblique direction. That is, it can be seen that the curling of the hair has a relationship with the shape of the hair or the growing direction of the hair. The hair characteristic is a feature of the black race in Africa, the Khoisan race, the Melanesian, Papuan, Andaman, and the like.

Due to the characteristic, the wigs for black people are proposed with various forms or shapes, and curling products for producing styles mainly with curl or wave and products for being based on patterns of the textures as the styles and implementing styles such as braiding, twisting, tying, or the like on the basis of some patterns of the textures have been proposed.

The reason why the most basic and popular braid products pursue a variety of textures as compared with curl or wave products is that the natural hair state of the black people has a kinky property and the degree or the pattern of the kinky property is various for each individual, and thus sensitivity for seeking similarity with original hair has a large effect on development of the products. That is, the feeling of the wig is removed and the same feeling as the real hair is implemented through similar kinky and curvy properties to the original hair.

The braid type means a hair piece of a hair style of weaving (braiding) hair strands or gathering and braiding several hair strands and commercialized in various forms. In a general braid, the user generally uses a wig (also referred to as a jumbo braid) processed with a predetermined texture as illustrated in FIG. 1 or uses the wig by twisting or braiding. Alternatively, a special braid is sold by twisting or braiding in advance in a manufacturing process.

An unlimited example of the braid type is proposed as a product which is called three-stranded ribbon braiding or two-stranded Senegal twisting, and Box Braid, Havana Twist, Faux Locs, and the like as product names may be included therein. In this specification, it may be described that both a wig which can be twisted or braided by the user and a form which is previously twisted or braided in a manufacturing process are included (hereinafter, referred to as “twist type”).

Meanwhile, unlike the twist type, a bulky property is significantly given, and as yet another unlimited example prepared by general texture processing, Marley Braid or Kinky Braid is proposed (hereinafter, referred to as a “kinky type” and see FIG. 2).

The present invention provides a wig in which a twisted wig which is not textured or textured at the low degree can be transformed to a kinky wig which is textured or textured at the high degree by the transforming method of the present invention.

The general twisted wig is used for 2 to 3 weeks and may be discarded by the user's demand or when a date of use expires. As an unlimited example, the twisted wig is connected and used to the original hair, and while the original hair is grown when 2 to 3 weeks elapse after wearing, the connection portion is loosened and then the original form is not maintained or ends of the wig are frizzling or tangling, and thus the wig needs to be replaced or discarded.

The present invention provides a method and a wig for transforming the twisted wig to be replaced or discarded to a kinky wig which is used again by the user.

The kinky wig may be in a texture processed state, and the texture processing is a processing method of applying a permanent curve such as crimps, loops, coils, and the like to filament thread of synthetic fiber by a mechanical method and heat-fixing the curve by using thermoplasticity of the synthetic fiber. However, it is impossible for a general user to construct a facility for texture processing. Accordingly, the inventors propose the invention for transforming the discarded twisted wig.

The inventors provide the present invention by using a physical property of fiber, that is, heat shrinkage of the fiber. Generally, the heat shrinkage of the fiber is recognized as a defect of the product and thus the product is designed in a controlled state so as not to be transformed by various conditions, particularly, hot water during washing. The heat shrinkage behavior of the fiber corresponds to movement of oriented molecular chains which have been frozen while heating at a glass transition temperature or more in the case of a stretched amorphous polymer and thus it is interpreted that the heat shrinkage occurs. In the fiber stretched at a glass transition temperature or less, the heat shrinkage occurs at a specific temperature or more even at the glass transition temperature or less. As a result, in the above two cases, it is interpreted that the heat shrinkage behavior varies. Meanwhile, the heat shrinkage of crystalline polymers shows a very complicated behavior when a microstructure changed by stretching or heat-treating is sensitively reflected and influenced by crystallization occurring in a heating process.

In general fibers, a crystallization region and a non-crystallization region are complicated and the distribution thereof is represented by crystallization and orientation and may be controlled by a heat treatment or stretching condition and the like. In this case, the non-crystallization region of the stretched fiber returns to a random coil state by heat and thus the shrinkage occurs and re-crystallization occurs by a condition of a temperature and the like. That is, in the shrinkage characteristic of the fiber by the heat, an amorphous material which has been regularly aligned by stretching, mechanical hysteresis, and the like is misaligned by heating, and thus the alignment is irregular and the reduction of the length thereof is involved in the crystallization region. The molecular chain is shrunk to a random coil type in an axial direction and non-crystalline is melted or re-crystallization is caused by a characteristic to stabilize the reduced form as it is.

The wig according to the present invention may be expressed by heating at 70 to 97° C. by using the behavior of the fiber, and as the heating means, heating by hot water, hot wind, and electromagnetic wave may be proposed as an example. Preferably, the heating may be performed by hot water of 70 to 97° C. Meanwhile, a hair chemical (for example, a hair conditioner and the like) may be added together with the hot water in a condition treated with hot water, and in this case, may be treated at 70 to 120° C.

Meanwhile, the fiber may be a fiber having shrinkage of 15 to 75% (under a condition of 70 to 97° C.) in a fiber length direction under tensionless. More preferably, the fiber may be a fiber having shrinkage of 30 to 55% (under a condition of 70 to 97° C.) in a fiber length direction under tensionless, at 85 to 95° C.

The shrinkage range of the fiber is a range for preventing the fiber from being transformed in a product logistics process in a ship container or during excessive sun exposure or preventing a property deformation because the fiber retention is deteriorated by excessive heat treatment. Meanwhile, in the shrinkage, it is difficult to express the kinky wig due to a coil type or a low texture degree while the fiber is shrunk in the fiber length direction under tensionless or in the shrinkage exceeding the range, fiber threads are bound due to over-shrinkage to be entangled with each other and thus there is a problem in implementation of a desired texture.

Meanwhile, the changeable wig according to the present invention may contain 10 to 100 wt % of fibers configuring the entire wig. In the range, the shrinkage is appropriately expressed and thus natural irregularity and kinky textures may be expressed.

Further, in the changeable wig according to the present invention, the fibers are constituted to a filament, tow, or buddle form to form the changeable wig. In the case of the filament form, a monofilament may be formed of 30 to 75 D and in the case of the tow or buddle form, the monofilament may be formed of 60 to 360 fila.

Further, in the changeable wig according to the present invention, the fiber may be a flame-resistant fiber.

Hereinafter, a method for transforming a wig of the present invention will be described. In the method, as an unlimited example, a twisted wig is described as a start configuration and hot water is exemplified.

First, the twisted wig is heated while being immersed in hot water at 70 to 97° C. for about 20 to 60 seconds to be expressed to the kinky wig (a hot water treating step). The heated wig by the hot water is naturally dried or variously dried (a drying step) and the user may directly implement the kinky wig from the twisted wig (see FIG. 3A and based on line A).

Furthermore, optionally, the wig treated with hot water may be loosed by opening the wig in a vertical direction of the fiber to more improve bulky and kinky properties. In terms of the user, when more easily describing the opening, the aggregated state between the fibers is released by applying friction in the vertical direction of the fiber (see FIG. 3B and based on line A). In the loosing step, in order to implement a desired form of the user, that is, a bulky property, time and friction force may be controlled.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to Examples.

Examples 1 to 3

Twisted wigs (Senegal twist type) of 100 wt %, 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 4%), and 10 wt % (90 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 4%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 42% were prepared, worn for 2 weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated (see FIG. 4 and Example 2).

Comparative Examples 1 and 2

Twisted wigs (Senegal twist type) of 100 wt % and 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 4%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 2% were prepared, worn for 2 weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated (see FIG. 11 and Example 2).

*Evaluation Method

In Examples and Comparative Examples, untying, shrinkage, irregularity, bulky, and natural look were quantified and evaluated by 10 persons as a panel, respectively (see Table 1).

9-10: Excellent, 7-8: Good, 5-6: Normal, 3-4: Bad, 1-2: Worst

TABLE 1 Natural Classification Untying Shrinkage Irregularity Bulky Look Average Changeability Example 1 9 7 7 8 6 7.4 OK Example 2 8 10 10 10 10 9.6 OK Example 3 10 6 8 8 6 7.6 OK Comparative 10 1 1 3 2 3.4 NG Example 1 Comparative 2 8 5 6 1 4.4 NG Example 2

Examples 4 to 6

Twisted wigs (Box Braid) of 100 wt %, 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%), and 10 wt % (90 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 42% were prepared, worn for 2 weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated (see FIG. 5 and Example 5).

Comparative Examples 3 and 4

Twisted wigs (Box Braid) of 100 wt % and 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 2% were prepared, worn for weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated.

TABLE 2 Natural Classification Untying Shrinkage Irregularity Bulky Look Average Changeability Example 4 8 8 8 8 6 7.6 OK Example 5 8 10 10 10 10 9.6 OK Example 6 10 7 8 8 6 7.8 OK Comparative 10 2 1 2 2 3.6 NG Example 3 Comparative 10 2 2 3 2 4.4 NG Example 4

Examples 7 to 10

Twisted wigs (Havana Twist) of 100 wt %, 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%), and 10 wt % (90 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 42% were prepared, worn for 2 weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated (see FIGS. 6 and 7 and Examples 8 and 10).

Comparative Examples 5 and 6

Twisted wigs (Havana Twist) of 100 wt % and 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 2% were prepared, worn for weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated.

TABLE 3 Natural Classification Untying Shrinkage Irregularity Bulky Look Average Changeability Example 7 10 5 5 7 9 7.2 OK Example 8 10 5 8 5 9 7.4 OK Example 9 9 5 8 4 9 7.0 OK Example 9 9 10 10 8 9.2 OK 10 Comparative 10 2 1 2 6 4.2 NG Example 5 Comparative 10 2 2 3 6 4.6 NG Example 6

Examples 11 to 14

Twisted wigs (Faux Locs) of 100 wt %, 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%), and 10 wt % (90 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 42%, and 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%) using thread having tensionless shrinkage of 70% (based on 93° C. temperature) were prepared, worn for 2 weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated (see FIGS. 8 and 9 and Examples 12 and 14).

Comparative Examples 7 and 8

Twisted wigs (Faux Locs) of 100 wt % and 50 wt % (50 wt % thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 12%) using thread (based on 93° C. temperature) having tensionless shrinkage of 2% were prepared, worn for weeks, immersed in hot water of 90° C. for 20 seconds, dried, and then loosed. Thereafter, a bulky property and the like were evaluated.

TABLE 4 Natural Classification Untying Shrinkage Irregularity Bulky Look Average Changeability Example 6 7 7 7 8 7.0 OK 11 Example 7 9 8 8 6 7.6 OK 12 Example 9 6 7 5 8 7.0 OK 13 Example 9 8 10 9 9 9.0 OK 14 Comparative 10 2 2 2 6 4.4 NG Example 7 Comparative 10 2 3 3 6 4.8 NG Example 8

Meanwhile, in the changeable wig of the present invention, as elements for evaluating the changing degree, shrinkage, irregularity, bulky, and the like may be exemplified as described above, and may be expressed by shrinkage-irregularity-bulky (SIB) as the quantifying elements. The SIB may be defined by a curved area for a reference line in a unit period, and it may be understood that the curve generated while the wig thread is shrunk expresses irregularity and bulky in region A and region B when both ends of the wig thread are aligned on the reference line without tension. FIG. 10 illustrates the example and one strand of the wig thread transformed in above Examples is measured based on 100 mm as a unit period. When the changeable wig according to the present invention satisfies the following conditions, it may be defined that an ideal effect is expressed.

128≦ΣSIB≦530  (1)

−350≦SIB(A−B)≦350  (2)

TABLE 5 Classification Region A Region B Sample 1 66.16 150.42 Sample 2 87.35 117.67 Sample 3 189.84 78.62 Sample 4 243.93 283.11 Sample 5 112.09 297.90 Sample 6 11.67 319.62 Sample 7 43.24 318.18 Sample 8 22.05 371.18 Sample 9 89.20 160.73 Sample 10 42.24 308.05 Sample 11 314.71 44.69 Sample 12 390.65 41.36 Sample 13 77.76 50.95 Sample 14 181.08 26.61 Sample 15 115.72 83.44 Sample 16 80.19 91.24 Sample 17 26.07 250.41 Sample 18 155.48 79.93 Sample 19 10.14 292.83 Sample 20 8.44 265.49 Sample 21 142.32 116.98 Sample 22 250.23 16.09 Sample 23 131.79 135.42 Sample 24 36.56 129.37 Sample 25 81.78 115.06 Sample 26 62.13 118.65 Sample 27 7049 69.72 Sample 28 15.61 267.92 Sample 29 162.72 15.88 Sample 30 53.40 132.67 Sample 31 29.36 182.98 Sample 32 92.64 235.77 Sample 33 3.00 262.56

The aforementioned present invention is not limited to the aforementioned exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the technical field to which the present invention pertains that various substitutions, modifications, and changes may be made within the scope without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. 

1. A changeable wig, textures thereof being transformed by performing a heat treatment of a using wig.
 2. The changeable wig of claim 1, wherein the heat treatment is any one or more treatments of heat treatments by hot water, hot wind, or electromagnetic wave.
 3. The changeable wig of claim 1, wherein in the texture transformation, a bulky or kinky property is improved.
 4. The changeable wig of claim 1, wherein the using wig is a twisted wig or a wig with the improved bulky or kinky property is a kinky wig.
 5. The changeable wig of claim 2, wherein when the heat treatment is performed by the hot water, a hot water temperature is 70 to 97° C. or when a hair chemical is added together with the hot water, the hot water temperature is 70 to 120° C.
 6. The changeable wig of claim 1, wherein a fiber included in the wig has shrinkage of 15 to 75% (under a condition of 70 to 97° C.) in a fiber length direction under tensionless.
 7. The changeable wig of claim 1, wherein the changeable wig includes 10 to 100 wt % of the fiber of claim
 6. 8. The changeable wig of claim 1, wherein a curve generated while a wig thread is shrunk satisfies the following Equations when an curved area is defined by SIB in region A and region B when both ends of the wig thread are aligned on a reference line without tension based on the reference line 128≦ΣSIB≦530  (1) −350≦SIB(A−B)≦350  (2).
 9. A method for transforming a wig, textures of the wig being transformed by performing a heat treatment of a using wig.
 10. The method for transforming a wig of claim 9, wherein in the texture transformation, a bulky or kinky property is improved.
 11. The method for transforming a wig of claim 9, the method further comprising: a loosing step of opening the wig treated by the heated heat in a vertical direction of the fiber.
 12. The method for transforming a wig of claim 9, wherein a curve generated while a wig thread is shrunk satisfies the following Equations when an curved area is defined by SIB in region A and region B when both ends of the wig thread are aligned on a reference line without tension based on the reference line 128≦ΣSIB≦530  (1) −350≦SIB(A−B)≦350  (2).
 13. (canceled) 